Article-supporting and displaying devices



Get. 31, 1967 O W STONE 3,349,897

ARTICLE-SUPPORTING AND DISPLAYING DEVICES Filed April 13, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. O/P/SO YA 6mm:

Oct. 31, 1967 o, w. STONE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 n I I I I I I I I I I I INVENTOR 0 9/60 1/ Sin v6 Oct. 31, 1967 o. w. STONE 3,349,897

ARTICLE-SUPPORTING AND DISPLAYING DEVICES Filed April 13, 1964 5 SheetsSheet 5 :29 T if F TT I! has q. f

,1 ['52. J m J o. w. STONE 3,349,897 ARTICLE-SUPPORTING AND DISPLAYING DEVICES Oct. 31, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 13, 1964 v@ 02 02 5 o: 5 M

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ARTICLE-SUPPORTING AND DISPLAYING DEVICES Filed April 1.5, 1964 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,349,897 ARTICLE-SUPPORTIN AND DISPLAYING DEVICES Orison W. Stone, Valley Cottage, N.Y., assignor to Developak, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 359,297 11 Claims. (Cl. 20645.14)

This invention relates to article-supporting devices, and in particular to such devices adapted for use in displaying the articles to prospective purchasers thereof.

In merchandising many types of consumer products, it is the practice to set up one or more of the respective articles in suitable holders therefor on counters and shelves as well as in store windows for display purposes, with each such holder or supporting device, if desired, also bearing additional advertising information. In general, such an article-supporting and displaying device is termed a boot if the article is essentially unrestrained on its sides and held only at its opposite ends, and a frame if the article is essentially enclosed within or supported on all sides by the device.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide novel article-supporting and displaying boots and frames.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel wall flange construction for such article-supporting and displaying devices, whereby the wall flange can serve either as a base or pedestal for a device or as a side or top flange thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of article-supporting and displaying boots and frames as aforesaid which are made of one-piece blanks of paperboard or like sheet material suitably pre-scored, cut and dimensioned.

A more specific object of the present invention is the provision of such article-supporting and displaying devices wherein a differential hinge connection between each flange and its associated contiguous wall maintains the same at a relative angular orientation of less than 60 degrees.

Still further it is an object of the present invention to provide article-supporting and displaying boots of the aforesaid types each of which can be shipped, when empty, in a fiat-folded condition and automatically assumes the desired shape and configuration, with the said flange thereof serving as the base, upon insertion of the article to be displayed into the appropriate wall openings provided therefor.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of article-supporting and displaying boots wherein a differential hinge connection between each base flange and its associated contiguous wall functions both to maintain the prescribed angular wall-to-flange relationship and to cause the base portion of the boot to snap over the bottom of the article to be displayed as the latter is inserted into the boot.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide novel article-supporting and displaying boots which are specially constructed to facilitate lateral approach loading thereof.

Concurrently it is an object of the present invention to provide article-supporting and displaying devices as aforesaid which can be produced more economically than heretofore available devices of this category.

The foregoing and other objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, in perspective, of an article-supporting and displaying boot according to one embodiment of the present invention and illustrates the boot with an article mounted therein;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the said boot without the article;

FIG. 3 is a plan view on a reduced scale of an unfolded one-piece blank of sheet material employed to produce the boot shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a similar sectional view and illustrates the boot and article during the insertion of the article in the boot;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view, in perspective, of a somewhat modified form of boot according to the present invention for use with a different type or article to be displayed;

FIG. 7 is a plan view on a reduced scale of an unfolded one-piece blank of sheet material employed to produce the boot shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 6 and shows the article fully mounted in the boot;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 99 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary front elevational view, in perspective, of a boot of the type shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 with a differently shaped article-receiving opening;

FIG. 11 is afront elevational view, in perspective, of an article-supporting and displaying frame according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a rear elevational view, in perspective, of the frame shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along the line 13 13 in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line 14- 14!- in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of an unfolded one-piece blank of sheet material employed to produce the frame shown in FIGS. 11 to 14; FIG. 16 is a front elevational view, in perspective, of an assembled two-piece article-supporting and displaying frame according to the present invention and illustrates another type of article mounted therein;

FIG. 17 is a similar view of the frame shown in FIG. 16 and illustrates the elements of the frame in separated relationship with the article mounted in only one of the frame elements;

FIG. 18 is a similar but fully exploded view of the frame and article shown in FIGS. 16 and 17;

FIGS. 19 and 20. are sectional views taken along the lines 1919 and 20-20, respectively, in FIG. 16; and

FIGS. 21 and 22 are plan views of the two unfolded blanks of sheet material employed to produce the respective elements of the two-piece frame shown in FIGS. 16 to 20.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 5, it will be seen that a boot 30 according to one aspect of the present invention, designed for supporting and displaying a rigid substantially cylindrical article 31 having a substantially flat top 32 and a substantially flat bottom 33, is made from a onepiece blank 34 (FIG. 3) of paperboard or other suitable sheet material. The blank 34 is divided into a plurality of panels 35 to 44 by a plurality of parallel fold lines or scorings 45 to 53 which enable the various panels to be angularly oriented relative to one another, as will be more fully explained presently. The panels 36, 38, 39 and 43 are provided, respectively, .with cutouts or openings 54, 55, 56 and 57, the ultimate utilization of which will be more clearly explained as the description proceeds.

To form the boot 30 (see especially FIG. 2), the blank 34 is first folded along the scoring or fold line 49. The panels 39 and 40 are then adhesively bonded or otherwise fixedly secured to one another in face to face relationship over the entire expanse of the panel 40 up to the fold line 50. Similarly, the panel 37 is adhesively or otherwise fixedly secured to the lowermost region of the panel 42, with the fold line 46 lying against the fold line 52, the panel 36 is secured to the panel 43, and the panel 35 is secured to the underside of the panel 44. Inasmuch as the panel 44 is somewhat narrower than the panel 35 as measured lengthwise of the blank, however, the arrangement is such that the fold lines 45 and 53 are disposed in spaced and parallel relationship to one another, separated in the ordinary size boots by a distance of about /2; to ,5 inch.

In the finished boot 30, therefore, the panels 36 to 39 define the front wall of thevboot, while the panels 40 to 43 define the rear wall, and these walls are separable from one another over at least a portion of their respective lengths so as to define therebetween a pocket or space adapted to receive at least a portion of the article 31 to be supported and displayed. Moreover, the panels 35 and 44, constituting a unitary flange extending angularly rearwardly from and hingedly connected to the unitary wall portion 36-43, are constrained by the spaced and parallel arrangement of the hinge connections 45 and 53 normally to lie at an acute angle of less than 60 degrees to the wall 36-43 and thus provide a pedestal or base for the boot. It should be noted, however, that the combined length of the panel 38 and the unbonded lower portion of the panel 39 is substantially equal to the combined length of the panel 41 and the unbonded upper portion of the panel 42, and that despite the differential hinging of the panels 35 and 44 the said flange can be laid fiat against the panel 43, whereby the boot can be completely flattened, when empty, to facilitate shipment from the manufacturer to the ultimate user, e.g. a retail or wholesale merchant of the articles 31. As soon as the flattening constraint is removed, of course, the flange 35-44 reassumes its predetermined acute angular orientation relative to the wall portion 36-43.

As will be clearly understood from FIG. 5, when the article 31, here indicated schematically as the capped container for a commercial roll-on deodorant, is to be mounted in the boot 30, the bonded wall portion 39-40 is first shifted in the direction of the arrow A relative to the wall portion 37-42, which is held stationary, by applying pressure to the top edge of said wall portion 39-40 (fold line 49), so as to open up the interior space of the boot between the front and rear walls thereof, whereupon the upperend of the article is inserted through the opening 55 in the front wall panel 38 until the rearwardmost edge portion 32a of the top of the article bears against the rear wall panel 42. The article is then shifted essentially endwise through the said space until the front edge 32b of the top of the article protrudes through the opening 56 in the panel 39, with the top surface or rim 32 of the article engaging the flat or linear top edge of the opening 56. The article 31 is then angularly shifted in the direction of the arrow B until it lies substantially flush against the rear wall panel 42, at which time the rear top edge 32a bears against the rearwardly slanted panel 41 and exerts an upward stress on the entire lower portion of the boot through the panel 42 and the bonded wall portion 36-43.

At this point, the lowermost portion of the boot, consisting of the said wall portion 36-43 and the base flange 35-44 differentially hinged thereto, is pulled forwardly relative to the article so as to cause the bottom end 33 of the latter to enter the superposed openings 54 and 57. As'soon as a major part of the bottom of the article 31 has passed through the opening 54-57, the mentioned upward stress on the Wall 3643 c use thQ ame t be snapped past the front edge 33a of the bottom of the article, until said edge comes to bear against the base panel 44 at the hinge connection 53 thereof. By virtue of the spaced hinge connections, therefore, the base 35-44 is pulled upwardly in the direction of the arrow C (FIG. 4) so as to lie flush against the bottom 33 of the article. The assembled boot and article, with the rear wall panel 42 and overlying front wall panel 37 tightly hugging the back of the article, are thus combined into a thoroughly stable structure which can be placed on a counter, shelf or other supporting surface to enable the article 31 to be fully displayed to prospective purchasers thereof.

It will be noted that with the boot and article assembled as shown, the top front wall panel 39 is tilted rearwarclly, making for optimum visibility of any attractive designs or advertising intelligence which may be provided on that panel. Concurrently, the spacing of the hinge connections 45 and 53, acting in conjunction with the bonding of the panels 35, 36 and 37 to the panels 44, 43 and 42, respectively, as shown, ensures that there will be an acute angle of 60 degrees or less between the wall panels 36-43 and the base panels 35-44 and an obtuse angle between the wall panels 36-43 and the wall panels 37-42, whereby the back wall panel 42 is automatically positioned substantially perpendicularly to the base panels.

A somewhat modified boot 58 designed for supporting and displaying a collapsible tube 59 is illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 10. This type of boot is generally similar to the boot 30 but differs therefrom principally due to the fact that a collapsible tube, such as is indicated at 59, has its discharge end covered by a substantially cylindrical cap 59', and is appreciably thinner and wider at its closed, crimped end 59" than it is at the discharge end.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 7, the boot 58 is made from a one-piece blank 60 which is divided into a plurality of panels 61 to 70 by a plurality of spaced and parallel scorings or fold lines 71 to 79. The panels 62, 64 and 69 are provided with cutouts or openings 80, 82 and 81, respectively, the cutout or opening 82 extending somewhat into the panel 65 as well. In accordance with this aspect of the present invention, the opening 82 is illustrated to be essentially triangular in outline, with the edge thereof that reaches into the panel 65 being essentially rectilinear, but as will be more fully explained hereinafter in connection with FIG. 10, the opening 82 need not be so shaped and the width edge thereof may be curved and arranged relatively symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center line of the blank. The maximum transverse width of the opening 82 as measured parallel to the fold line 74 must, however, be less than the width of the crimped end 59" of the article 59. The reason for this requirement will be more fully set forth presently, together with a description of a novel concomitant technique of loading such boots contemplated by the present invention.

To form the boot 58 (see especially FIGS. 6 and 9), the blank 60 is first folded about the fold line 75. The panel 66 is then adhesively bonded or otherwise fixedly secured over its entire expanse up to the fold line 76 to the adjacent and overlying surface portion of the panel 65. Similarly, the panel 63 is adhesively or otherwise fixedly secured to the adjacent end region of the panel 68 with the fold line 72 lying against the fold line 78, the panel 62 is secured to the panel 69, and the panel 61 is secured to the underside of the panel 70. As in the first-described embodiment of the invention, the arrangement is such that the hinge connection 71 between the wall panel 62 and base panel 61 is spaced from and parallel to the hinge connection 79 between the wall panel 69 and the base panel 70.

With respect to the base or flange 61-70 of the boot 58, it will be noted that the lower base panel 61 is illustrated as being considerably shorter (as measured lengthwise of the blank 60) than the upper base panel 70 so that the latter projects beyond the outermost edge of the former, whereas in the boot 30 the lower base panel 35 is illustrated as being somewhat longer than the upper base panel 44 so that their terminal edges essentially coincide. This difference in the illustrations is of no significance other than to indicate that the relative overall lengths of these panels may be selected at will. It is generally preferred that at least the upper base panel (44 or 70) be approximately long enough to underlie the entire bottom (33 or 59) of the article. Most important, however, is the requirement that the perpendicular distance from any transverse line of bonding or joining of the base panels to the outer or front hinge (45 or 71) be greater than the distance from that line to the inner or rear hinge (53 or 79). Within the purview of this requirement, therefore, the base panels may be secured to one another by stapling or otherwise rather than by gluing over appreciable surface areas.

Further, as before, the front and rear walls of the boot defined, respectively, by the sets of panels 62 to 65 and 66 to 69 are at least partly separable from one another to provide therebetween the space or pocket in which at least a portion of the article 59 to be supported and displayed may be received. It will also again be noted that the combined length of the panel 64 and the unbonded lower portion of the panel 65 is substantially equal to the combined length of the panel 67 and the unbonded upper portion of the panel 68, and that despite the differential hinging of the panels 61 and 70 the flange constituted thereby can be laid flat against the panel 69. The boot 58 thus can also be completely flattened, when empty, to facilitate shipment thereof from the manufacturer to the ultimate user. As soon as the flattening constraint is removed, of course, the flange 61-70 reassumes its illustrated orientation at an acute angle of 60 degrees or less to the wall portion 62-69.

When the article 59 is to be mounted in the boot 58, the bonded wall portion 65-66 is first shifted in the direction of the bonded Wall portion 63-68, which is held stationary, by applying pressure to the top edge of the said wall portion 65-66 (fold line 75), so as to open up fully the interior space of the boot between the front and rear walls thereof. Whereas in the first-described embodiment of the invention, however, the article was then inserted straightforwardly into the said space through the access opening 55, this approach is not available in the embodiment of the invention presently under discussion by virtue of the fact that, as previously indicated, the maximum width of the access opening 82 as measured parallel to the fold line 74 is less than the width of the article 59 at the crimped end 59" thereof.

Accordingly, it is contemplated by the present invention that insertion of the article 59 into the boot 58 be achieved by means of an angular, partly lateral approach of the article to the boot (see FIG. 6). More specifically, the movement of the article must be such that the crimped end 59" thereof is oriented so as to be aligned with a part of the access opening which is of greater than the aforesaid maximum width thereof. Merely by way of example, this part of the access opening may be that lying along the bisector of the uppermost angle (the right-hand angle in FIGS. 6 and 8) of the opening. The length of this bisector from the apex of the angle to the opposite side of the opening, of course, greatly exceeds the maximum width of the opening transversely of the boot (in the same sense that the diagonal of a square or rectangle is' much longer than any of the sides of such a figure).

Once the crimped end of the article is received within the space between the front and rear walls of the boot, the article is pivoted in the direction of the arrow D (FIG. 6) and in a plane essentially parallel to the plane of the rear wall of the boot until the crimped edge 59" is located parallel to the fold lines 76, 77. For this stage, the edge 59" may be in engagement with the panel 67, or with the fold line 77, or with the juncture between the panels 65 and 66. At this point, with the back of the article lying essentially flush against the back wall panel 68, the lowermost portion of the boot, consisting of the wall portion 62-69 and the base flange 61-70 differentially hinged thereto, is pulled forwardly relative to the article so as to cause the rear edge of the bottom of the article (here constituted by the cap 59) to enter the aligned and superposed openings and 81. As soon as a major part of the bottom of the article has passed through the opening 80-81, the upward stress exerted on the lower portion of the boot by the pressure of the top edge 59" of the article against the panel 67 or other part of the upper portion of the boot, causes the wall portion 62-69 to be snapped past the front edge of the bottom of the article, until said edge comes to bear against the base panel 70 at the hinge connection 79 thereof. By virtue of the spaced hinge connections, therefore, the base 61-70 is pulled upwardly so as to lie flush against the bottom of the article as shown in FIG. 9.

The assembled boot 58 and article 59, with the rear wall panel 68 and the partly overlying front wall panel 63 hugging the back of the article, are thus also combined into a thoroughly stable structure which can be placed on a counter, shelf, or other supporting surface to enable the article 59 to be fully displayed to prospective purchasers thereof. Again, as before, the top front wall panel 65 is tilted rearwardly somewhat to provide for maximum visibility of any design or advertising material that may be placed on its outer surface. Concurrently, the spacing of the hinge connections 71 and 79, acting in conjunction with the bonding of the panels 61, 62 and 63 to the panels 70, 69 and 68, respectively, ensures that there will be an acute angle of 60 degrees or less between the wall portion 62-69 and the base or flange 61-70, and an obtuse angle between the wall portion 62-69 and the wall portion 63-68, so as automatically to dispose the back wall panel 68 substantially perpendicularly to the base or flange.

The provision of an access opening of less width than the top end width of the article 59 leads to a number of advantages. First, this arrangement ensures that while the article is being inserted into the boot and, of course, while it remains therein, the side edges of the opening 82 closely hug the sides of the article (see FIG. 8).

Were the opening sufiiciently wide (as measured parallel to the fold line 74) to accommodate the full width of the top edge of the article 59, then the side edges of the opening would be spaced appreciable distances from the sides of the article, thereby permitting the same to have a lateral freedom of movement, i.e. to wobble within the boot, and thus to destroy the sought for stability thereof. Second, the illustrated arrangement ensures that the side portions of the panel 64 adjacent the widest part of the opening 82 are themselves as wide and, consequently, as strong and resistant to tearing as possible. Again, were the opening to be sufiiciently wide to accommodate the full top edge width of the article straight across, then, in view of the limited available full width of the boot, the said side portions of the panel 64 would necessarily have to be considerably narrower, whereby their tearing strength would be reduced correspondingly, and the possibility of marring or destruction of the boot due to improper insertion of the article would be increased.

In this connection it is worthy of note that the novel technique of side loading of the boot 59, provided by the present invention as a concomitant of the access opening being dimensioned as hereinbefore set forth, is further advantageous in that it is particularly well suited to machine loading of such boots. For such a mechanized loading operation, therefore, it is possible to locate the article in-feeding means on the same level as the boot holding and conveying means, whereby the overall space requirements for the machine are substantially reduced.

The same principles of construction and operation, and the attendant advantages, as are set forth above in connection with the boot 58 apply also to the boot 53 illus- I trated in FIG. 10. These boots are identical in all respects width of the opening 82' thus is also less than the width of the-top end 59" of the article 59, and loading of the latter into the boot must, consequently, be achieved by initially angling the article to one side of the boot (as shown in FIG. 6) so as to dispose the end 59" along a part of the opening at which its dimension is greater than the width of the said article end. When fully mounted in the boot, the article is supported thereby in the same manner as previously described. Any particular configuration of the access opening for any given boot may thus be adopted, depending in general on the exterior contours, design or decorative features characterizing the article to be displayed.

As previously mentioned, the principles of the present 1 invention may be embodied in a wall and flange construction of an article-supporting and displaying frame, i.e. a holder which essentially encloses the entire article except for the front, marked surface thereof. One type of frame according to this aspect of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 11 to 15 Referring now in greater detail to FIG. 15, the frame 83 (FIGS. 11 to 14) is made from a one-piece blank 84 of paperboard or other suitable sheet material. The blank is divided into a plurality of contiguous panels 85 to 92 by a plurality of parallel fold lines or scorings 93 to 99. Connected to the panels 87 and 90 by means of fold lines 100 to 103 are respective pairs of lateral extension panels 104 to 107. The panels 88 and 89 are provided at one side of the blank with inwardly converging respective scorings 108 and 109 along which panels 110 and 111 are hingedly connected to the panels 88 and 89. Located between the panels 110 and 111 is a panel 112 which is connected to them by means of fold lines 113 and 114, the panel 112 being further connected along a fold line 115 to a panel 116 which is in turn connected to a panel 117 by a fold line 118. The panel 112 is separated by a cut 119 from the entire adjacent edge of the panels 88 and 89 between the innermost ends of the scorings 108 and 109.

Similarly, the panels 88 and 89 at the opposite side of the blank are provided with inwardly converging respective scorings 120 and 121 along which panels 122 and 123 are hingedly connected to the panels 88 and 89. Located between the panels 122 and 123 and connected thereto along fold lines 124 and 125 is a panel 126 which is connected by a fold line 127 to a panel 128, the latter being connected by a fold line 129 to a panel 130 which in turn is connected by a fold line 131 to a panel 132 provided in its outer-most edge with a pair of notches 133. The panel 126 is separated by a cut 134 from the entire adjacent edge of the panels 88 and 89 between the innermost ends of the scorings 120 and 121, and as clearly shown in FIG. 15, the cut is in the shape of an arcnate recess in the panels 88 and 89 receiving a lobe or projection 126a of the panel 126. The panels 87 and 90 are somewhat wider, as measured lengthwise of the blank 84, than the respective adjacent panels 86 and 91.

Initially, the manufacturer of the frame 83 folds the panels 87 and 90 along the fold lines 95 and 97 rearwardly of the center panels 88 and 89, and then folds the panels 86 and 91 along the fold lines 94 and 98 so as to lie against those surfaces of the panels 87 and 90 which face the panels 88 and 89. The end panels 85 and 92 are then reverse folded relative to the panels 86 and 91 along the fold lines 93 and 99 and are adhesively bonded or otherwise fixedly secured to the rear surfaces of the respective center panels 88 and 89 so as to dispose the fold lines 93 and 99 parallel to but spaced from the fold lines 95 and 97. By virtue of the differences in width .between the panels 86 and 91 and their associated panels 87 and 90, the aforesaid folding and bonding operation ensures that each of the flanges constituted hythe overlying pairs of panels 86-87 and -91 is constrained to lie at an acute angle of 60 degrees or less to the adjacent one of the center panels 88 and 89. The construction is such, however, that the flanges can still be laid flat against the backs of the center panels to facilitate shipment of the blank from the manufacturer to the ultimate user thereof.

When the frame 83 is to be used, the panels 88 and 89 are folded along the common fold line 96 so as to .be oriented in essentially perpendicular planes, which causes the flanges 86-87 and 90-91 to extend rearwardly of the V and parallel to one another. The pairs of extension panels 104-106 and 105-107 are now folded toward one another along the respective fold lines -102 and 101-103 so as to extend inwardly over the opposite end edges of the panels 88 and 89 (see FIG. 13). The set of panels 108-109-112-116-117 is then folded along its respective series of scorings and fold lines so as to have the panels 116 and 117 overlying and underlying, respectively, the aligned pair of extension panels 104-106 (FIG. 13), with the panel 117 being disposed between the panels 104-106 and the adjacent edges of the angled panels 88 and 89. Concurrently, the set of panels 122-123-126-128-130-132 is folded along its respective series of scorings and fold lines so as to have the panels 128 and 130 overlying and underlying, respectively, the aligned pair of extension panels -107, the panel being disposed between the panels 105-107 and the adjacent edges of the angled panels 88 and 89, and the end panel 132 being further folded in perpendicularly to the panel 130 so as to have the corresponding portions of the edges of the panels 88 and 89 adjacent the inwardmost ends of the scorings 120 and 121 received in the notches 133. It will be understood, of course, that a notched panel identical to the one designated by numeral 132 also may be provided at the outer edge of the panel 117 for a similar purpose.

The various panels are thus fully interlocked, enabling the frame 83 to retain the illustrated form thereof, with the panels 112 and 126 converging inwardly of the frame from their respective fold lines 115 and 127 toward the fold line 96.

In the use of the frame 83 illustrated in FIGS. 11 to 14, the flanges 86-87 and 90-91 constitute the side walls of the frame which is seen to rest on the panel 128. The article 135 (shown in phantom outline only) to be supported and displayed is mounted in the frame with its lower end resting on the upwardly facing edge of the panel 132 behind the lobe or tab 126a of the panel 126, and with its upper end disposed and confined behind the downwardly facing edge of the panel 112. Nevertheless, it will be apparent that the frame 83 may also be employed with one of the said flanges serving as the base of the frame, in which case the utilization of the wall and flange construction 88-87-86-85 (or 89-90-91-92) would duplicate that of the constructions 36-35-44-415 and 62-61-70-69 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 and 6 to 10, respectively.

It will be appreciated, therefore, that in the wall and flange construction 88-87-86-85 (or its counterpart 89 to 92) it is the securing of the panel 85 to the wall 88 (or 92 to 89) while the hinge connection 93 (or 99) in maintained spaced from and parallel to the hinge connection 95 (or 97), with the distance from any line of connection between the panels 86 and 87 (or 90 and 91) to the hinge connection 93 (or 99) being less than the distance from that same line to the hinge connection 95 (or 97 as shown in FIG. 14, which again enables the desired angular flange to wall relationship to be maintained. From this it will also be clear that the maintenance of this angular relationship plays an important part in retaining the frame 83 in its assembled condition, since the biasing of the flanges 86-87 and 90-91 toward one another by virtue of the presence of the diiferential hinge connections ensures that the associated extensionpanels 104-106 and 105-107 are Continually urged toward one another to provide the necessary anchoring locations for the folded-over panel structures 112-116 and 128-130.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, the described wall and flange construction may be embodied in a two-piece frame 136 (FIGS. 16 to 20) designed for supporting and displaying flat articles, such as a plate 137. As clearly shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the frame 136 is composed of two frame members 138 and 139 of essentially similar construction, there members being adapted to be mitered with one another so as to define the composite frame 136. In view of the fact that these frame members are also adapted to support the plate or article 137 independently of one another, they can in essence function as boots, and thus they will hereinafter be designated also as boot mates.

Referring now in greater detail to FIG. 21, the frame member or boot mate 138 is made from a blank 140 of paperboard or other suitable sheet material and is divided into a plurality of panels 141 to 149 by a plurality of parallel fold lines or scorings 150 to 157. The end panels 141 and 149 are provided with undercut recesses or cutouts 141a and 149a, and the central panel 145 is provided with a pair of undercut lobes or projections 145a and 14512 which are enclosed in correspondingly shaped and dimensioned recesses or cutouts formed in the adjacent panels 144 and 146.

To form the frame member or boot mate 138, the panels 144 and 146 are folded toward one another frontwardly of the panel 145 along the fold lines 153 and 154 until the panels 144 and 146 are oriented at an obtuse angle relative to the panel 145. The panels 142 and 148, which are somewhat shorter than the panels 143 and 147 (as measured lengthwise of the blank), are folded over against the rear faces of the panels 143 and 147 along the fold lines 151 and 156, and the said panels 143 and 147 are folded along the fold lines 152 and 155 to extend rearwardly from the panels 144 and 146. The end panels 141 and 149 are then reverse folded along the fold lines 150 and 157 and are adhesively bonded or otherwise fixedly secured to the rear surfaces of the panels 144 and 146, respectively, with the recesses or cutouts 141a and 149a overlying and coinciding with the recesses or cutouts provided in the panels 144 and 146 and previously occupied by the projections 145a and 1451) of the panel 145.

As clearly shown in FIG. 20, the arrangement is such that the pairs of panels 142-143 and 147-148 constitute a pair of flanges which extend from respective walls constituted by the panels 144 and 146 and are constrained to lie at an acute angle of 60 degrees or less to the planes of the respective wall panels by virtue of the presence of the spaced hinge connections 150-152 and 157-155 acting in conjunction with the adhesion of the end panels 141 and 149 to the rear surfaces of the respective wall panels. Thus, the flanges 142-143 and 147-148 are automatically oriented substantially perpendicularly to the central panel 145, so that either flange may serve as the base or pedestal for the boot mate 138. As will also be more fully set forth hereinafter, the wall and flange construction of the boot mate 138 also provides a snap-gripping action substantially the same as that of the corresponding constructions 36-35-44 and 62-61-70 of the boots 30 and 58.

Referring now to FIG. 22, the frame member or boot mate 139 is made from a blank 158 of paperboard or other suitable sheet material and is divided into a plurality of contiguous panels 159 to 167 by parallel fold lines or scorings 168 to 175. The end panels 159 and 167 are provided with undercut recesses or cutouts 159a and 167a, respectively, and the panel 163 is provided with a pair of opposite undercut lobes or projections 163a and 16311 which are reecived in correspondingly shaped and dimensioned cutouts or recesses provided in the adjacent panels 162 and 164. As shown, the panel 163 is the narrowest of the blank 158 and the panels -161 and 165- 166 the widest, While the panels 162 and 164 narrow toward the central panel 163, and the panels 159 and 167 narrow away from the panels 160 and 166. The sole function of these dimensional variations is to permit the ultimate mitering of the boot mates 138 and 139.

To form the boot mate 139, the blank 158 is folded in a manner similar to that employed in connection with the blank 140. Thus, the panels 162 and 164 are folded along the fold lines 171 and 172 to an obtuse angle frontwardly of the panel 163, the panels 161 and 1-65 are folded rearwardly from the panels 1-62 and 164 along the fold lines and 173, the panels 160 and 166 are folded along the fold lines 169 and 174 to lie along the rear surfaces of the panels 161 and 165, and the panels 159 and 1 67 are reverse folded along the fold lines 168 and 175 relative to the panels 160 and 166 and are adhesively bonded or otherwise fixedly secured to the rear surfaces of the panels 162 and 164 with the recesses or cutouts 159a and 167a overlying and coinciding with the recesses in the panels 162 and 164 previously occupied by the projections 163a and 1631) of the panel 163.

In the same manner, therefore, as previously explained in connection with the boot mate 1-38, the flanges constituted by the panels 160-161 and 165-166 of the boot mate 1 39 extend at an acute angle of 60 degrees or less relative to the planes of the walls constituted by the panels 162 and 164, by virtue of the provision of the spaced parallel hinge connections 168-170 and 175-173 and the concomitant bonding of the end panels 159 and 167 to the rear surfaces of the wall panels 162 and 164. Thus, the flanges 160-161 and 165-166 are automatically disposed substantially perpendicularly to the central panel 163 of the boot mate 139 and either one (like the flanges 142-143 and 147-148 of the boot mate 138) can serve as a base or pedestal, although in the frame 136 as illustrated the flanges 160-161 and 165-166 constitute the side walls thereof. It will be seen, however, that when in this relationship, the described orientation of the flanges 160-161 and 165-166 complements that of the flanges 142-143 and 147-148 to impart an essentially perfectly square outline to the frame 136.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 17 and 18, when it is desired to mount the plate 137 in the frame 136, one portion 137a (FIG. 18) of the peripheral edge of the plate is first fitted into the opening 162a in the wall panel 162 of the boot mate 139, whereupon the opposite flange 165-166 is extended somewhat and drawn forwardly over the diametrically opposed edge portion 137b of the plate. By an interaction similar to that described in connection with the mounting of the articles 31 and 59 in the boots 30 and 58, as soon as the opening 164a in the wall panel 164 of the boot mate 139 has passed the edge portion 137b of the plate, the wall and flange construction 164- 165-166 is snapped over the said edge portion, whereby the plate is snugly held by the boot mate 139 (FIG. 17) with the panel 163 thereof abutting against the bottom surface of the plate (see also FIG. 19).

The same procedure is now repeated to fit the boot mate 138 over the back of the boot mate 139 onto the plate 137 at the edge portions 1370 and 137d thereof (FIG. 18) displaced by 90 degrees from the edge portions 137a and 1371). Thus, the edge portion 1370 is first fitted into the opening 144a in the wall panel 144, whereupon, with the panel 145 engaging the .rear surface of the panel 163 (FIG. 20), the opposite flange 147-148 is extended somewhat and drawn forwardly until the opening 146:: in the wall panel snaps over the edge portion 137d of the plate. As soon as this operation is completed, the plate 137 and boot mates 138 and 139 are interlocked into a unitary structure, i.e. the frame 136, which has an essentially perfect rectangularly prismatic shape or outline and is, consequently, possessed of the degree of stability required to permit the frame 136 and plate 137 (FIG.

11 16) to be disposed in an upright display position, with any one of the four flanges serving as the base, on a shelf, counter or other supporting surface.

Reverting for the moment to the boots 30 and 58, it will, of course, be understood that each of these may be constructed to hold, in addition to the principal article 31 or 59 shown, either an additional article (or set of articles) of the same class or an additional article (or set of articles) of a different category the sale of which is to be tied in with the sale of the principal article.

I claim:

1. In an article-supporting and displaying device: a wall the front surface of which is directed toward an article when the same is supported by the device, and a flange extending rearwardly from said wall at an acute angle not greater than 60 degrees, said flange comprising a first panel hinged to said wall and extending rearwardly therefrom, a second panel connected to said first panel at a location spaced from the hinge connection between the latter and said wall and extending along said first panel toward the rear surface of said wall, and a third panel hinged to said second panel at a location spaced from the connection between the latter and said first panel, said third panel extending along said rear surface of said wall in a direction away from the hinge connection between said wall and said first panel and being fixedly secured to said wall, the distance from any given part of said connection between said first and second panels to said hinge connection between said first panel and said wall being greater than the distance from said part of said connection to the hinge connection between said second and third panels.

2. In an article-supporting and displaying device: a plurality of walls each having a front surface which is directed toward an article when the same is supported by the device, and a plurality of flanges each extending rearwardly from a respective one of said walls at an acute angle not greater than 60 degrees, each of said flanges comprising a first panel hinged to the associated wall and extending rearwardly therefrom, a second panel connected to said first panel at a location spaced from the hinge connection between the latter and said associated wall and extending along said first panel toward the rear surface of said associated wall, and a third panel hinged to said second panel at a location spaced from the connection between the latter and said first panel, said third panel extending along said rear surface of said associated wall in a direction away from the hinge connection between the latter and said first panel and being fixedly secured to said associated wall, the distance from any given part of said connection between said first and second panels to said hinge connection between said first panel and said associated wall being greater than the distance from said part of said connection to the hinge connection between said second and third panels.

3. In an article-supporting and displaying device: a wall the front surface of which is directed toward an article when the same is supported by the device, and a base flange extending rearwardly from said wall at an acute angle not greater than 60 degrees for enabling the device to be positioned on a suitable supporting surface, said flange comprising a first panel hinged to said wall and extending rearwardly therefrom, a second panel connected to said first panel at a location spaced from the hinge connection between the latter and said wall and etxending along the upper surface of said first panel toward the rear surface of said wall, and a third panel hinged to said second panel at a location spaced from the connection between the latter and said first panel, said third panel extending upwardly from said second panel along said rear surface of said wall in a direction away from the hinge connection between said wall and said first panel and being fixedly secured to said rear surface of said wall, the distance from any given part of said connection between said first and second panels to said 12 hinge connection'between said first panel and said wall being greater than the distance from said part of said connection to the hinge connection between said second and third panels.

4. In an article-supporting and displaying device according to claim 3: said wall being provided with a through opening dimensioned to receive a portion of the article to be supported so as to permit the bottom of the article to engage the upper surface of said second panel of said base flange.

5. In a device for supporting and displaying an article: wall means adapted to enclose at least a portion of an article to be displayed when said article is disposed essentially frontwardly of said wall means, and a flange structure extending rearwardly from said wall means at an acute angle not greater than 60 degrees, said flange structure comprising a pair of panels arranged in face to face relationship, each of said panels being hingedly connected to said wall means in such a manner that the hinge connections are spaced and parallel, and said pair of panels being secured to one another at a location spaced from said hinge connections.

6. In a device for supporting and displaying an article: an upper structure and a base structure, said upper structure comprising front and rear walls separable from one another over at least a portion of their respective lengths to define therebetween a pocket adapted to receive at least a portion of an article to be diplayed, one of said Walls being provided with a through opening to enable insertion of said portion of said article into said pocket, and said base structure comprising a pair of panels, each of said panels being hingedly connected to the lower portion of a corresponding one of said walls, said panels being arranged in face to face relationship and secured to one another in such a manner that the hinge connections are spaced and parallel.

7. In an article-supporting and displaying device: an upper structure comprising a front wall and a rear wall secured to one another in face to face relationship in their upper and lower regions and separable from one another intenmediate said regions to define therebetween a pocket adapted to receive the upper portion of an article to be displayed, said front wall being provided in the separable region thereof with a through opening to enable insertion of the upper portion of said article into said pocket, the secured front and rear walls in the lower region thereof being provided with aligned through openings to enable insertion of the lower portion of said article therethrough, and a base structure adapted to engage the bottom of said article when inserted through said aligned openings, said base structure comprising a pair of panels each hinged to the lowermost end of a respective one of said walls, said panels being arranged in face to face superposed relationship rearwardly of said lower region of said walls and secured to one another in such a manner that the hinge connection between the upper one of said panels and said rear wall is spaced rearwardly from and parallel to the hinge connection between the lower one of said panels and said front Wall, thereby to constrain said base structure to lie normally at an acute angle not greater than 60 degrees to the common plane of the contiguous secured lower portions of said front and rear walls.

8. In a device for supporting and displaying an article of essentially uniform width: an upper structure comprising a front wall and a rear wall secured to one another in face to face relationship in their upper and lower regions and separable from one another intermediate said regions to define therebetween a pocket adapted to receive the upper portion of an article to be displayed, said front wall being provided in the separable region thereof with a through opening to enable insertion of the upper portion of said article into said pocket, the maximum Width of said through opening as measured transversely of said front wall being substantially equal 13 to the width of said article, the secured front and rear walls in the lower region thereof being provided with aligned through openings to enable insertion of the lower portion of said article therethrough, and a base structure adapted to engage the bottom of said article when inserted through said aligned openings, said base structure comprising a pair of panels each hinged to the lowermost end of a respective one of said walls, said panels being arranged in face to face superposed relationship rearwardly of said lower region of said walls and secured to one another in such a manner that the hinge connection between the upper one of said panels and said rear wall is spaced rearwardly from and parallel to the hinge connection between the lower one of said panels and said front wall, thereby to constrain said base structure to lie normally at an acute angle not greater than 60 degrees to the common plane of the contiguous secured lower portions of said front and rear walls.

9. In a device for supporting and displaying an article which is wider at its upper end than over the remainder of its body: an upper structure comprising a front wall and a rear Wall secured to one another in face to face relationship in their upper and lower regions and separable from one another intermediate said regions to define therebetween a pocket adapted to receive the upper portion of an article to be displayed, said front wall being provided in the separable region thereof with a through opening to enable insertion of the upper portion of said article into said pocket, the maximum width of said through opening as measured transversely of said front wall being substantially equal to the width of said body of said article and less than the width of said upper end thereof, the secured front and rear walls in the lower region thereof being provided with aligned through openings to enable insertion of the lower portion of said article therethrough, and a base structure adapted to engage the bottom of said article when inserted through said aligned openings, said base structure comprising a pair of panels each hinged to the lowermost end of a respective one of said walls, said panels being arranged in face to face superposed relationship rearwardly of said lower region of said walls and secured to one another in such a manner that the hinge connection between the upper one of said panels and said rear wall is spaced rearwardly from and parallel to the hinge connection between the lower one of said panels and said front wall, thereby to constrain said base structure to lie normally at an acute angle not greater than 60 degrees to the common plane of the contiguous secured lower portions of said front and rear walls.

10. In an article-supporting and displaying device: an article-embracing structure comprising a pair of perpendicular walls defining between their front surfaces a V-shaped article-receiving space, and end wall means extending across the opposite open ends of said space and having retaining panel means projecting inwardly of said space for pressing the opposite ends of an article inserted therebehind against said walls, and a flange structure for each of said walls, each of said flange structures comprising a first panel hinged to the associated wall and extending rearwardly therefrom, a second panel connected to said first panel at a location spaced from the hinge connection between the latter and said associated wall and extending along said first panel toward the rear surface of said associated wall, and a third panel hinged to said second panel at a location spaced from the connection between the latter and said first panel, said third panel extending along said rear surface of said associated wall in a direction away from the hinge connection between the latter and said first panel and being fixedly secured to said associated wall, the distance from any given part of said connection between said first and second panels to said hinge connection between said first panel and said associated wall being greater than the distance from said part of said connection to the hinge connection between said second and third panels, whereby each of said flange structures is constrained to lie at an acute angle not greater than 60 degrees to the plane of the contiguous one of said walls.

11. In a device for supporting and displaying a plateshaped article: a pair of flanged article-gripping and retaining members, each of said members comprising a flat central panel, a pair of walls each extending frontwardly from the opposite side edges of said central panel at an obtuse angle to the plane of the latter and having a front surface which is directed toward said article when the same is supported by the device, each of said walls being provided with a through opening to receive a respective portion of the peripheral edge of said article, and a pair of flanges each extending rearwardly from a respective one of said walls at an acute angle not greater than 60 degrees, each of said flanges comprising a first panel hinged to the associated wall and extending rearwardly therefrom, a second panel connected to said first panel at a location spaced from the hinge connection between the latter and said associated wall and extending along said first panel toward the rear surface of said associated wall, and a third panel hinged to said second panel at a location spaced from the connection between the latter and said first panel, said third panel extending along said rear surface of said associated wall in a direction away from the hinge connection between the latter and said first panel and being fixedly secured to said associated wall, the distance from any given part of said connection between said first and second panels to said hinge connection between said first panel and said associated wall being greater than the distance from said part of said connection to the hinge connection between said second and third panels, whereby the outer surfaces of said flanges are oriented perpendicularly to the associated central panels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,997,909 4/1935 Luce 229-34 XR 2,959,276 11/1960 Srofe 20645.l4 3,157,275 11/1694 Tolaas 20645.14

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. J. M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN ARTICLE-SUPPORTING AND DISPLAYING DEVICE: A WALL THE FRONT SURFACE OF WHICH IS DIRECTED TOWARD AN ARTICLE WHEN THE SAME IS SUPPORTED BY THE DEVICE, AND A FLANGE EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM SAID WALL AT AN ACUTE ANGLE NOT GREATER THAN 60 DEGREES, SAID FLANGE COMPRISING A FIRST PANEL HINGED TO SAID WALL AND EXTENDING REARWARDLY THEREFROM, A SECOND PANEL CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST CONTROL AT A LOCATION SPACED FROM THE HINGE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE LATTER AND SAID WALL AND EXTENDING ALONG SAID FIRST PANEL TOWARD THE REAR SURFACE OF SAID WALL, AND A THIRD PANEL HINGED TO SAID SECOND PANEL AT A LOCATION SPACED FROM THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE LATTER AND SAID FIRST PANEL, 